I'm developing a golf analysis tool

[cambridge]

It looks like FIR, GIR are important stats you guys would want to see.. (to be completely honest I was going to charge for this) but if its expected by default then the plans got to change.

How about putts per hole? Is this something people would be able to regularly remember and input post game? The last thing I want this tool to be is something that gets in the way of actually playing golf..

 

[GreiginFife]

It looks like FIR, GIR are important stats you guys would want to see.. (to be completely honest I was going to charge for this) but if its expected by default then the plans got to change.

How about putts per hole? Is this something people would be able to regularly remember and input post game? The last thing I want this tool to be is something that gets in the way of actually playing golf..

How much research of the current market have you done? There are numerous apps and stat engines available, some of which have multi option subs levels based on the level of analysis or storage you need. Basic free on most include all of the above that you talk about charging for.
Personally, I use Golfshot Lite which gives all of the above but in a polished UI that makes it easy to use and to understand.
What thought have you put in to the User Experience, why would someone choose a white screen UI over a clean and colourful, intuitive design like Golfshot?
What will be your market differentiator and what is the market for it?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Finishing in the first cut isn't an Fir is it, what happens if your approach finishes on the fringe/first cut of the green do you call that a Gir?

so you hit 14 fir all that tells you is you've had a good driving day, conversely your pp could be right up with you but been in the first cut/rough and only just missed the fairway but equally a good driving day and scored the same if not better!
Mendie is talking more about shots gained from the position you are in.

When playing on links courses (which the majority of my golf is) you can hit a ball bang down the middle of the fairway and finish on the first cut. In those circumstances I'm happy to consider that as a FIR as you can't control the bounces on the fairway.

Mendies course is pretty wide open in places so you can spray it about and still have a shot. Hit the same shots on somewhere like the the Duchess course at Woburn and you'll be hitting 3 off the tee. So I would rather measure a stat that shows if I'm driving the ball well than one that shows I got away with a bad shot.

 

[GreiginFife]

This is the minimum info that I would expect to see personally. Golfshot then has an analytics UI that sits behind and each scorecard feeds in creating views of everything from performance by club, putting averages in relation to GIR through to FIR and performace by course played.

All of that sits on the free Lite app.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Hi @cambridge - with a players data being Cloud-based do you envisage players using your app when out on the course playing? If so - in what way?

 

[cambridge]

View attachment 17665

This is the minimum info that I would expect to see personally. Golfshot then has an analytics UI that sits behind and each scorecard feeds in creating views of everything from performance by club, putting averages in relation to GIR through to FIR and performace by course played.

All of that sits on the free Lite app.

Thanks for this and your previous post. I've done "enough" research, at least I thought I had! Though I didn't come across Golfshot so thank you for this (this is why im here, to learn!)

I've been developing the app now for.. about 3 weeks, so its massively in its infancy. I didnt want to build what I THOUGHT people wanted, so thats why I asked the questions here . I'll now be looking into golflite and ensuring my features are up to scratch with the rest of the offerings before launch.

In all honesty though Im building it for me (not to start a business), and i thought others might want to use it too. Thanks again for your input, I really appreciate it.

A note on design - I'm a developer, not a designer and im focusing on functionality before giving it a good old lick of paint. Bare with me.. it's only a baby!

 

[ruff-driver]

This is what my app gives me data wise

https://www.getrealgolfstats.com/GRGS-Calculated-Stats/

 

[cambridge]

Hi @cambridge - with a players data being Cloud-based do you envisage players using your app when out on the course playing? If so - in what way?

This is something I've thought about and in all honesty I personally think when you're on the course your mind should be on the game, not inputting your stats as you go. You also have the development challenges of dealing with signal drop outs etc.

As its in its infancy my plan is desktop based to get the features right and then a mobile app once the base is in.

I think at most I'd like to have a feature on the mobile app that allowed you to note down shots, FIR, GIR and puts with the ability to do all of this offline and an easy way to import the notes to a score once you're back in the club house/at home, but if the users want different then I won't be arguing with them

in short, the idea of it being cloud based is yes, so data is accessible from phones/tablets/desktops any where, any time. (the first version will be responsive, meaning the design will work on a mobile thought it wont be specifically built for that case.)

 

[GreiginFife]

Thanks for this and your previous post. I've done "enough" research, at least I thought I had! Though I didn't come across Golfshot so thank you for this (this is why im here, to learn!)

I've been developing the app now for.. about 3 weeks, so its massively in its infancy. I didnt want to build what I THOUGHT people wanted, so thats why I asked the questions here . I'll now be looking into golflite and ensuring my features are up to scratch with the rest of the offerings before launch.

In all honesty though Im building it for me (not to start a business), and i thought others might want to use it too. Thanks again for your input, I really appreciate it.

A note on design - I'm a developer, not a designer and im focusing on functionality before giving it a good old lick of paint. Bare with me.. it's only a baby!

What is "enough"? Not to sound critical but the first post I quoted you said "it seems like FIR and GIR are important stats to you guys" and then that you had intended to charge for them. "Enough" research would show (even beyond Golfshot) that these are the most commonly used stats on, probably, 90% of freeware apps and therefore should be included as a matter of course.

If you are building it for you, and not as a commercial venture, then why not build it around what YOU feel would help you first and then work up in iterations?

Sounds like you need to collaborate with a Solutions Designer

 

[cambridge]

What is "enough"? Not to sound critical but the first post I quoted you said "it seems like FIR and GIR are important stats to you guys" and then that you had intended to charge for them. "Enough" research would show (even beyond Golfshot) that these are the most commonly used stats on, probably, 90% of freeware apps and therefore should be included as a matter of course.

If you are building it for you, and not as a commercial venture, then why not build it around what YOU feel would help you first and then work up in iterations?

Sounds like you need to collaborate with a Solutions Designer

I will be, very soon haha. Critical is what I need, so dont worry youre not offending me. You're right, I should have known this, i think to be honest I came to get ideas and suggestions from people a little to early perhaps? or maybe I got the answers i was looking for so this has been 100% worth it!

and thank you for the link ruff-driver, very interesting!

 

[TopOfTheFlop]

In regards to the layout of the app - the GolfShot although accurate with stats still has a colourful and eye capturing layout. As a user it sub-consciously keeps you interested. Otherwise it looks like an accountants dream and it makes it easy to lose interest. First impressions definitely count.

 

[BTatHome]

As a freebie golfshake gives loads of stats. They now have an very simple iOS app in place for collecting your stats, and an android version just a few days away.

To be honest I'd be hard pushed to see how a paid for app could compete in today's market. Are you actually a golfer, and have you used some of these apps in anger, as that's usually the best way to figure out what golfers actually want.

 

[Rooter]

As a freebie golfshake gives loads of stats. They now have an very simple iOS app in place for collecting your stats, and an android version just a few days away.

To be honest I'd be hard pushed to see how a paid for app could compete in today's market. Are you actually a golfer, and have you used some of these apps in anger, as that's usually the best way to figure out what golfers actually want.

I'm with Brian i'm afraid. With the amount of stuff out there thats free or integrated with a current product, making this a commercial app is going to be tough. Its going to have to be pretty special to get people to part with their hard earned.

I do wish you all the best however!

 

[Bratty]

It looks like FIR, GIR are important stats you guys would want to see.. (to be completely honest I was going to charge for this) but if its expected by default then the plans got to change.

How about putts per hole? Is this something people would be able to regularly remember and input post game? The last thing I want this tool to be is something that gets in the way of actually playing golf..

If your app will be like HDID score embellishment, you won't need it. Score 5 on a par 4. FIR = Yes, GIR = No, Chip to green, therefore I must have two-putt.

What I don't like about HDID is it forces me to say chipped to green. What if I putted from off the green?

And how close did I chip or putt it? That's a stat that's sometimes overlooked too. I almost always chip to the hole around the green, as I find it much easier to judge. Others would putt at any opportunity, but might find chipping easier at times, but they won't know, cos they don't reflect on their round.
Which, to a degree, is the point of stats.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

This is something I've thought about and in all honesty I personally think when you're on the course your mind should be on the game, not inputting your stats as you go You also have the development challenges of dealing with signal drop outs etc.

As its in its infancy my plan is desktop based to get the features right and then a mobile app once the base is in.

I think at most I'd like to have a feature on the mobile app that allowed you to note down shots, FIR, GIR and puts with the ability to do all of this offline and an easy way to import the notes to a score once you're back in the club house/at home, but if the users want different then I won't be arguing with them

in short, the idea of it being cloud based is yes, so data is accessible from phones/tablets/desktops any where, any time. (the first version will be responsive, meaning the design will work on a mobile thought it wont be specifically built for that case.)

I believe this also (and I don't 'even' use any form of DMD ) - but many would take a different view

 

[cambridge]

thanks all for the insights.. it really is invaluable.

To be honest I'd be hard pushed to see how a paid for app could compete in today's market. Are you actually a golfer, and have you used some of these apps in anger, as that's usually the best way to figure out what golfers actually want.

Yes im a golfer, and a bad one.. which is why im developing this

I'm with Brian i'm afraid. With the amount of stuff out there thats free or integrated with a current product, making this a commercial app is going to be tough. Its going to have to be pretty special to get people to part with their hard earned.

please dont worry about how ill make money (im not bothered about that at this point) all i care about is what stats are required and what you would like to see that you cant currently get.

im not a business, i mentioned charging for certain things earlier but thats pipedreams and well.. if this ever became something that would need full time attention then i would need to think about that at some point. but im not trying to compete with anyone just yet, im trying to build a useful app.

 

[GreiginFife]

I'm with Brian i'm afraid. With the amount of stuff out there thats free or integrated with a current product, making this a commercial app is going to be tough. Its going to have to be pretty special to get people to part with their hard earned.

I do wish you all the best however!

thanks all for the insights.. it really is invaluable.




Yes im a golfer, and a bad one.. which is why im developing this



please dont worry about how ill make money (im not bothered about that at this point) all i care about is what stats are required and what you would like to see that you cant currently get.

im not a business, i mentioned charging for certain things earlier but thats pipedreams and well.. if this ever became something that would need full time attention then i would need to think about that at some point. but im not trying to compete with anyone just yet, im trying to build a useful app.

Maybe look at it slightly differently as, for the most part, all useful stats are available through most other apps.
Maybe its not "what stats are available" thats the key, possibly its more to do with how the stats are stratified, combined, modulated and then displayed. Maybe its nit about a key stat but a collective of stats to give a more hollistic view of a person's game.

Do you play golf yourself? If so, have you caught yourself wondering "I've hit xx FIR and yy GIR, what does that mean about my game and how doe those relate?
If you have then you probably already know what you are looking for.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

It would be great to know what features you get the biggest value from by using Scoresaver2, what could you not cope without?

I use scoresaver2 as well, its handy but frankly I think I would 'cope' just fine without it, the best tracking aid I have ever seen is a pencil + scorecard.

 

[jdpjamesp]

How about putts per hole? Is this something people would be able to regularly remember and input post game? The last thing I want this tool to be is something that gets in the way of actually playing golf..

Putts per hole would be easy. I mark that on my card anyway, and suspect many do.

 

[MendieGK]

Being in the semi rough is very different to being 30 yards offline but missing all the trees, OOB etc that would cause problems. If I'm playing on a links course, a perfectly good tee shot can finish in the first cut and I'm happy to consider that as a FIR.



What shall we call this stat? How about "I got lucky"? And why do you think hitting fairways is overrated?

Because I'd rather be 100yds from the green in the rough with a wedge in my hand than 170 from the green with a 7iron.